They've done it! Chichester City through to FA Cup first round after win over Bowers and Pitsea

Chichester City have had a superb run in the FA Cup / Picture by Kate Shemilt

Chichester City join Pompey, Ipswich, Sunderland and the rest of League One and Two in the first round of the FA Cup after a memorable afternoon in Essex.

A penalty by Matt Axell and a Kaleem Haitham strike, both in the first half, earned City their place in the first round with a 2-1 win at Bowers and Pitsea, who gave Chi a scare by pulling one back a minute into time added on through Max Cornhill.

Only once before, in 1960, have Chi been in the first round - and staggeringly this is the SIXTH round they have got through this year. They were already the only team left in the competition who had started out in the extra preliminary round on August 9.

They were Sussex's only non-league side left in the Cup, too, although will now be joined by Crawley Town in the first round.

Messages of congratulation came in from all over the non-league world.

They will be in the draw, which will be shown live on BBC2 on Monday evening. Chi City will be ball no 71.

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